Timely Garden Tips for Autumn by Master Gardener Bonnie Olliver

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/smilla4/

• Plant spring-blooming bulbs when the soil is consistently cool.
• Harvest tender vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) when frost threatens, and protect cold-tolerant crops with row covers on cold nights.
• Harvest winter squash and store in a cool place.
• Dig and store tender bulbs such as dahlias, gladiolas and calla lilies.
• Continue to water newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials with a thorough soaking once a week if rainfall isn’t one inch/week.
• Take cuttings of some favorite annuals such as impatiens, coleus and geraniums for growing indoors.
• Get houseplants ready to bring indoors by “cleaning them up” and checking for insects.
• Remove and compost spent plants from annual and vegetable gardens.
• Rake fallen leaves and bag some for use in the compost pile during the winter and spring.
• Plant garlic now for harvest in the summer.
• Prune dead, dying, damaged or diseased branches from trees and shrubs anytime.
• Clean garden tools, winterize the lawn mower, empty the hoses.
• Be prepared to feed the birds as the weather gets colder.
• Save seeds of species (not hybrid) varieties of flowers and vegetables which were your favorites.
• Prune roses “lightly” to prevent the canes from being whipped around by winter winds. Save major pruning until spring.